Steam Cleaner vs Pressure Washer: Difference and Comparison

Steam cleaners are very useful for people who suffer from chemical sensitivity, asthma, and other types of allergies. So goes to the pressure washers.

Both of them are very convenient and affordable cleaning tools that can be owned by ordinary people. They are great for both industrial purposes and household work.

Key Takeaways

  1. Steam cleaners use heated water vapor to clean surfaces, while pressure washers rely on high-pressure water jets for cleaning.
  2. Steam cleaners sanitize and remove dirt effectively from various surfaces, while pressure washers excel at removing stubborn grime and stains.
  3. Steam cleaners are more suitable for indoor use and delicate surfaces, whereas pressure washers are better for outdoor cleaning tasks and tougher surfaces.

Steam Cleaner vs Pressure Washer

A steam cleaner uses hot water vapor to clean and sanitize surfaces. The water is heated in a boiler and released through a nozzle as high-pressure steam. While a pressure cl er uses a high-pressure stream of water to clean surfaces. They are used in commercial and industrial settings.

Steam Cleaner vs Pressure Washer

A steam cleaner is also known as a vapor steam cleaner and steam vapor system. These are the cleaning appliances known widely for using steam for sanitizing, quick cleaning, and drying certain surfaces.

Steam cleaners are one of the most preferable cleaning devices across the world and are widely used for industrial purposes as well.

A pressure washer that is also referred to as power washing is also a cleaning device that uses a very heavy pressure of water to remove filth from certain areas.

Pressure washer provides very high pressure of water that it can even remove paint, grime, mold, etc. A typical pressure washer can generate pressure up to 5 to 200 MPa.

Comparison Table

Parameters Of ComparisonSteam CleanerPressure Washer
Year of inventionThe steam cleaner is known to be invented in the 1960s-1970s by some Italian manufacturers.The cleaning appliance, pressure washer, was invented by a person known as Frank W. Ofeldt II in 1926.
TechniqueThe water is boiled in a steam cleaner to create low-moisture vapor that then passes through the nozzles. A pressure washer generates a high-pressure stream of both hot and cold water to detach dirt from the surface.
UsesSteam cleaners are used to clean patio furniture, porcelain tile, exterior surfaces, sterilize glasses, door tracks, etc. Pressure washers are used to clean walkways, driveway, garage floor, door, exterior walls of multiple things, etc.
WeightSteam cleaners are heavier than pressure washers due to their design yet the range of weight can be dynamic. A single can with a nozzle can be a pressure washer hence their weight depends on their structure.
Area (outdoor-indoor)A steam cleaner is considered to be most suitable for indoor cleaning.A pressure washer is considered to be most suitable for outdoor cleaning.

What is Steam Cleaner?

People prefer steam cleaners since they provide deep cleaning and make the environment within an area bacteria-free. Steam cleaners have completely replaced traditional chemical cleaners.

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Because instead of chemicals, steam cleaners require water and heat to create steam that is then used to remove invisible dust particles.

Steam cleaners also overtake the sanitizing process of the house or any building. Such features make a steam cleaner very environment-friendly.

Chemicals are harmful to the health and by cleaning with a steam cleaner avoid unnecessary damage dealt by dangerous chemicals. A house that has pets and toddlers most certainly need steam cleaners.

Toddlers and pets most of the time remain in contact with the floor and that’s why the floor must be clean that don’t have small allergens. Anyone can observe the results of steam cleaning which is far better than a conventional method.

When a person uses a mop and sponge dipped in a chemical solvent, he is inviting unnecessary problems.

Also cleaning with a mop or sponge is a very tiring procedure that drains out each unit of energy from the body.

That’s how steam cleaners become time-saving, affordable, easily operated, cleaning apparatus that should be used in every household.

steam cleaner

What is Pressure Washer?

A pressure washer is used to clean junk, grease, dirt, that is caked on exterior surfaces of different objects using high-pressure water spray against them.

The pressure of a pressure washer is measured in liters and gallons per minute which can be customized.

Pressure washers are used by both homeowners and business employees. Pressure washers are used to clean parking lots, gutters, driveways, roofs, sidewalks, decks, cars, floors, etc.

Pressure washers reduce hazards and allergies and purify the objects being cleaned. The pressure washer’s pressure can be set to lower and higher depending on the need.

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One of the main parts of a pressure washer is its nozzle which is important to control the velocity and direction of the water. Nozzles can be very useful to reach certain areas and provide the required flow.

Also, if a naive person uses a pressure washer it might cause certain injuries to both the person and the surface.

Pressure washers are very beneficial for outdoor cleaning that involves larger areas no matter what type of surface is required cleaning.

A person is suggested to not use pressure washers on living things since it can cause serious cuts and injuries. Pressure washers are used for the dirtiest larger jobs.

pressure washer

Main Differences Between Steam Cleaner and Pressure Washer

  1. A steam cleaner might have a nozzle but it mostly comes with brushes to pass the steam while Pressure Washer can not be complete without a nozzle.
  2. There is not a huge difference in pricing ranges, yet steam cleaners can be a bit expensive while pressure washer starts from a very small sum of money.
  3. There are multiple shapes of steam cleaners available such as mop, handheld, cylinder, etc. On the other hand, a pressure washer is more like a huge pipe connected to a body of water.
  4. Since steam cleaners freshen up the environment, they are used for indoor cleaning. On the other hand, pressure washers are used to clean larger, hence, they are great for outdoor cleaning.
  5. A steam cleaner uses the steam generated by hot boiled water. Pressure washers, on the other hand, use direct pressure of the water.
Difference Between Steam Cleaner and Pressure Washer
References
  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1995.tb03252.x
  2. https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-abstract/89/1/148/2962159

Last Updated : 15 July, 2023

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